Abstract
Claudins (CLDNs), as the key components of tight junctions, have been implicated as key factors in carcinogenesis and metastasis. A total of 1720 publications on CLDNs in the field of cancer were published from January 2005 to December 2022. The United States dominates the research on CLDNs in cancer, followed by China. China Medical University is the most productive, and Johns Hopkins University has the most citations. Morin PJ is credited with initiating research on CLDNs in cancer. CLDN18, the intestinal barrier, and the intestinal microbiota are the focus and hotspots in this field. The mechanism of CLDN-mediated metastasis still needs further investigation, and the development of CLDN-targeted therapies also needs to be explored in the future.